Motor-vehicle.



PATENTEQJUNE 30, 1903.

0; A. HIDER. MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

//v VEN ro/ ,M; A NORA/5Y9,

PATENTED JUNEISO, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903., C. A. HIDER. MOTOR VEHICLE.

V APPLIOATION FILED APR. 2a, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

Patented June so, 1903.

PATENT Orrion.

CHARLES A. HIDER, OF BALDWIN, INDIANA.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,553, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed April 23, 1903. Ser al No. 153,893. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. l-IIDER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Baldwin, in the county of Allen,in the State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in motor-vehicles. p

The primary object of my-present invention is to provide a motor-vehicle having improved driving and steering mechanisms so constructed and arranged that the axles can be readily and conveniently shifted in turning without interfering in the least with the driving connection of the sprocket-chains with the driving-axles.

The principal novel feature of my invention resides in the means whereby the driving connection can be uniformly maintained in the same plane during all the various shifting movements of the driving-axles incident to ordinary service, thereby obviating all danger of derangement thereof.

My invention consists of a vehicle-body or skeleton frame pivotally mounted upon oarrying-axles and supporting-wheels, an improved driving mechanism connecting the axles with a centrally-arranged power-transmitting shaft, an improved friction power-v transmitting gearing, and an improved steering mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention with the frame line X X of Fig. 2 looking toward the forward end of the vehicle and showing the rel- Fig. 2 is a 1011- ative arrangement of the power-transmitting shaft and the friction-gear and also showing a portion of the axle-shifting mechanism. Fig.4 is an enlarged detail side view of the improved means for avoiding displacement of the driving mechanism and consisting of a rig-idly supported sheath or casing, a sprocket-ring, a knuckle-ring, and a hub keyed on the axle. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of Fig. 4, taken on the line y y. of Fig. 1, showing the manner of mountingthe sprocketring in its sheath or casing.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the vehicle body or frame 1, of any proper form, size, or material, is pivotally mounted upon the forward and rear bolsters 2 and 3, the fifth-wheels 4 and 5, and the spring-platforms 6 and 7 united, as usual, by a proper king-bolt 12 and which in turn are supported upon driving-axles 8 and and the ground wheels 10 and 11, all of any proper construction and arrangement. The frame 1 has a transverse plate 18 011 its forward end in which the upright steering shaft 14 is revolubly mounted. shown broken away; but it may be provided with any suitable hand -lever for operating the same. The frame 1 has a second transverse: plate 15 at or near the middle of its length in which the upper end of the vertical power-transmitting shaft 23 forms a bearing and is provided with a pair of pendent hangerbrackets 16 and 17, in which is rotatably mounted the transverse counter shaft 18, Fig. 3, on which are rigidly fixed the sprocketlaterally-adj ustable friction-wheel 21,adapted for an actuating engagement with the adjacent overhanging friction-disk 22, fixed upon the lower end of the shaft 23, which is rotatably mounted in the bracket 2%, has a beltpulley 25 fixed thereon near its upper end, and is provided with a compressionspring 26, by means of which the disk 22 is normally held out of its engagement with the wheel 21. In the lower end of the brackets 16 and 17 is rigidly fixed a transverse box 27, provided upon its lower face with the longitudinal guiding-slot 28 for the pendent pivot 29, fixed in the lower face of the block 30, slidably mounted in the box 27 and to whose ends the rear ends of the shifting ropes or cables 31 The upper end of this shaft is wheels 19 and 20 and on which is keyed the well-understood manner.

and 32 are secured. These ropes pass over the idlers 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38, respectively, on the brackets 16 and 17 and the frame .1 and have their forward ends so secured to the pulley 39 on the shaft 14 as to be adapted to wind thereon in opposite directions in a The axles are provided with hounds S and 9, having upon their inner ends the respective plates 40 andv 41, having a central opening in which the pins 42 and 43 are respectively loosely mounted and have their inner ends pivotally mounted on the pendent pin 29, fixed in the block 30, as before described. This construction permits a convenient shifting of the axles and hounds, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1, by the manipulation of the steering-shaft 14', by means of which the block 30 is shifted longitudinally in the box 27 by means of the ropes 31 and 32. At a suitable point 011 the axles 8 and 9, approximately midway of their ends, are arranged the sprocket drivingwheels 44 and 45, respectively, identical in construction and firmly supported in position by means of the respective stay-rods 46 and 47, Fig. 1, whose inner ends are fixed to the inner face of the brackets 16 and 1'7.

The shaft-driving sprocket-wheels above mentioned are constructed as follows, referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5: In a twopart casing formed of two rings 48, rigidly united by means of bolts 49 through opposite radial lugs 50, is rotatably mounted a sprocketring 51, whose teeth project through an annular peripheral slot and is provided upon each side with an annular flange 52. These flanges fit loosely in corresponding annular recesses in the adjacent faces of the casing or sheath, Fig. 5. Within the sprocket-ring 51 and in concentric relation therewith is arranged a second ring 53,which might be termed a knuckle-ring and is provided upon two diametrically opposite points of its perimeter with the fixed radial arms 54, whose free ends are loosely mounted in suitable sockets or openings in the inner face of the ring 51. The knuckle-ring is supported in concentric relation to its axle-shaft by means of the rigidly-fixed hub 55, keyed thereto in the usual manner and provided with the rigid diametric radial arms 56, whose outer ends are loosely mounted in suitable sockets in the-inner face of the ring 53, which sockets are arranged at right angles to the radial arms 54. By this construction I secure a simple, reliable, and efficient knuckle-joint in the sprocket-wheel which permits a free shifting movement of the said axles and hounds without the least derangement of the driving-sprockets, as the ring 51 will maintain the same plane relative to its actuating-sprocket on the shaft 18.

In the guide-lugs 57 and 58, which are fixed on the rigid cross-piece 59'on the lower face of the frame 1, is slidably mounted the transverse rod 60, provided with a fixed rearwardlyprojecting lever-arm 61, whose free end normally engages a peripheral recess on the friction-wheel 21, whereby it is adapted to shift this wheel laterally uponthe counter-shaft 18 when it is desired to reverse the motion of the vehicle in a well-understood manner.

The sprocket-wheels 19 and 20 on the driving-shaft 18 are operatively connected to the respective sprocket wheels 45 and 44 by means of the sprocket-chains 62 and 63, respectively.

The operation of my invention thus described is obvious and briefly stated is as follows: The belt-pulley is connected to any suitable motor, which can be mounted in any proper part of the vehicle, thereby imparting rotation to the shaft 23 and the friction-disk 22, which is held normally out of engagement with the perimeter of the friction-wheel'21 by the coil-spring 26, but is adapted to be brought into such engagement by a proper pressure upon the upper end of the shaft 23 by any suitable means, thereby imparting rotation to the same and to the shaft 18, on which it is slidably keyed. The rotation of the shaft 18 actuates the axles 8 and 9 through the driving connection formed by the sprocketwheels 19, 20, 44, and 45 and the sprocketchains 62 and 63. l

The vehicle can readily be steered at pleasure by means of the steering-shaft 14, the ropes 31 and 32, and the slidable block 30, as heretofore described.

When it is desired to reverse the motion of the vehicle, the operator shifts the frictionwheel laterally to a position 011 the opposite side of the center of the friction-wheel from.

that shown in Fig. 3 by means of the lever 61.

Having thus described my invention and the manner of operating the same, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a motor-vehicle a driving-gear consisting of a transverse counter-shaft; a pair of sprocket-wheels fixed on the said shaft; a friction wheel adjustably mounted on the shaft; means for transmitting power to the friction-wheel a pair of sprocket-wheels fixed on the carrying-axles by a knuckle-joint c011- nectionas described; and a pair of sprocketchains operatively connecting the sprocketwheels on the counter-shaft with the sprocketwheels on the axles.

2. In a motor-vehicle a driving mechanism consisting of a counter-shaft; sprocket-wheels fixed on the counter-shaft; a friction-wheel slidably mounted on the said shaft; an actuating friction-disk rotatively mounted in cooperative relation with the friction -wheel;

means for actuating the friction-disk; sprock-- 3. In a driving-gear for motor-vehicles a sprocket-wheel adapted for a knuckle-j oint connection with its shaft, and consisting of a sprocket-ring rotatably mounted in a two-part sheath; a concentric hub having a pair of op- IIO posite radial arms; and an interposed concentric ring loosely engaged by the said hub-arms, and provided with a pair of opposite radial arms adapted for a pivotal engagement with the sprocket-ring at right angles to its engagement with the hub, all substantially as described.

4. In a motor-vehicle driving-gear a sprocket-wheel adapted for a knuckle-joint connection with its shaft, and consisting of a hub having a pair of fixed radial arms in opposite relation; a concentric intermediate ring pivotally mounted on the hub-arms and provided with a pair of opposite radial arms in rightangular relation to the hub arms; and a sprocket-ring loosely mounted 011 the arms of the said intermediate ring; and a supporting sheath or case having a peripheral annular slot through which the teeth of the sprocketring project, all substantially as described;

5. In a motor-vehicle gearing apower-transmitting mechanism consisting of a frictionwheel slidably mounted on a counter-shaft; means for shifting the friction-wheel; a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in suitable bearin gs having a belt-pulley for connection with the motive power, and provided upon its lower end with a fixed friction-disk adapted for an actuating engagement with the friction-wheel, and provided with a coiled compressionspring adapted to normally secure the said disk out of such engagement.

6. In a motor-vehicle the combination of a counter-shaft; a pair of sprocket-wheels fixed on the shaft; a friction-wheel slidably keyed on the shaft; means for actuating the said wheel; a pairof sprocket-wheels fixed 'on the carrying-axles by a knuckle-joint connection a sprocket chain connection between the counter-shaft and axle sprocket-wheels; and

g a pivotal connection between the axles formed by a pair of hounds having upon their inner ends slotted plates or blocks, and a pair of horizontal pins loosely mounted in the slots of said plates, and having their inner ends pivotally united to a sliding block ;and a slidin g block pivotally uniting the steering mechanism with the said hounds as described.

Signed by me at Fort NVayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, this 10th day of April, 1903.

CHARLES A. HIDER. Witnesses:

AUGUSTA VIBERG, Dow lVIILLER. 

